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Arsène Wenger's Arsenal Firsts

All this season in the matchday programme, to
commemorate our first season at Emirates Stadium we are featuring
'Arsenal Firsts'. As we are celebrating Arsène
Wenger's ten years at the Club today, we take a look at some of
his personal 'firsts' from his time in charge.

Game
His contract with the Club started on October 1, 1996, and his
first official game in charge of Arsenal was the Premiership away
game at Blackburn Rovers on October 12, 1996.

Goal
The first goal of Arsène's Wenger's reign came just
three minutes into the first game.

Ian Wright fired Arsenal ahead at Ewood Park. Nigel Winterburn
found John Hartson at the far post with a long diagonal cross, and
he headed the ball back across goal to Wright. He controlled, beat
his man, then arrowed the ball into the far corner. Arsenal have
scored a further 1,021 since then.

Defeat
The first defeat came in the seventh game, which was away to
Manchester United in the Premier League.

Nigel Winterburn scored an unfortunate own goal that day, the
only goal of the game, when he diverted Eric Cantona's shot
past David Seaman. The Gunners were probably worthy of a point
though, with Peter Schmeichel performing well in the hosts'
goal on November 16, 1996. Manchester United also inflicted
Arsène Wenger's first home defeat - a 2-1 reverse on
February 19, 1997.

Signing(s)
Remi Garde and Patrick Vieira were Arsène's first Arsenal
signings, yet they actually arrived at the Club before the boss
did. They both joined on August 14, 1996, Patrick from AC Milan,
Remi from Strasbourg.

Patrick was 20 at the time, and uncapped by France. He went on,
of course, to become club captain and Arsenal's most-capped
international of all time. Remi, ten years older than Patrick, was
actually the Club's first 'Bosman' signing, and was
already a full French international, having previously been with
Lyon. He made 43 appearances for the Gunners in two years, mainly
in midfield.

Hat-trick
Dennis Bergkamp scored the first hat-trick of the Wenger era - his
famous treble against Leicester City at Filbert Street which
included the Goal of the Season winner.

His hat-trick was not enough to secure the win though, as the
Foxes hit back late on to grab a dramatic draw on August 27,
1997.

Trophy
Arsène Wenger lifted his first trophy as manager of Arsenal at
the end of his first full season. On May 3, 1998 Arsenal beat
Everton 4-0 to wrap up the league title with two games to
spare.

An own goal, two from Marc Overmars and one from skipper Tony
Adams gave the Gunners the win and their first league title since
1991.
The manager's second trophy - the FA Cup - followed just two
weeks later.

In all Arsène has lifted 11 trophies with the Club - three
league titles, four FA Cups and four Community Shields.

North London Derby
The manager didn't have to wait long to take on Tottenham
Hotspur - his first North London derby was his fourth home game in
charge, on November 24, 1996 at Highbury.

Arsenal won 3-1 with goals from Ian Wright, Tony Adams and a
memorable late Dennis Bergkamp strike.

Since taking over, Arsène has lost just one of his 21 North
London derbies.

European game
Although on the bench alongside Pat Rice in Germany for the second
leg of the UEFA Cup First Round match against Borussia
Monchengladbach in 1996, Arsène Wenger did not officially lead
Arsenal into a European fixture until the following season. The
Gunners lost 1-0 away to PAOK Salonika in the first leg of the UEFA
Cup First Round on September 16, 1997.

Sale
The first player Arsène released from the first team squad was
midfielder Eddie McGoldrick. He was sold to Manchester City in
autumn 1996, and never actually played under the Frenchman.

The versatile Irishman, who joined from Crystal Palace in 1993,
made 56 appearances for Arsenal, scoring once.

Red card
The first player to receive his marching orders under Arsène
Wenger was Steve Bould. The defender was dismissed for a second
bookable offence against Liverpool in the Fourth Round of the
Coca-Cola Cup at Anfield on November 27, 1996. Arsenal lost
4-2.

Award
Arsène Wenger has been named Premiership Manager of the Month
on eight occasions, the first was in March 1998, the month in which
Arsenal recorded that famous 1-0 at Old Trafford. He retained the
award in April, and added the Manager of the Season award in
May.

In this debut season for our new stadium, we'd like to read
about the first time you ever watched Arsenal. Send us your brief
account - no more than 200 words - and if we feature your account,
we will also send you a professional A3 print of Emirates
Stadium.

Today's first comes from Roy Stevenson who writes to us from
Hadleigh in Essex.

I saw my first match when I was six years old and I watched
Arsenal beat Leicester 2-0 on October 21, 1933. My father, who was
an Arsenal supporter, took me to the match, directed me to the
children's enclosure and arranged to meet me outside after the
game had finished - how times have changed! I was in the Merchant
Navy in 1944, aged 16, and when I left in 1948 I was a regular
supporter and to get a seat in the front row of the East Stand I
had to get to Highbury at 10am on a Saturday morning.

I went with my father regularly and always the same crowd were
there. One young lady was a Jean Latty - I hope she is well and
still a supporter. I remember Cliff Holton scoring a blinder from
about 40 yards in one match in the same way Van Persie's goal
will be remembered. Having had two knee replacements and a stroke,
I now leave it to my son and grandson, Martin, to make sure the
family is still represented. They are members and go to all the
home matches and some of those played away.

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